The present invention is directed to a stick delivery mechanism especially for but not limited to use in a candy floss machine. Candy floss machines having automatic stick delivery mechanisms are known. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,292 (Israel) issued Oct. 6, 1981 and French Pat. No. 2,248,792 (General Properties Anstalt) issued Oct. 10, 1976. Stick delivery mechanisms of the type disclosed in the patents are not entirely satisfactory in that the sticks are often misaligned, jammed and chipped or deformed during delivery.
A stick delivery mechanism of the type wherein sticks are inserted in food products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,811 (Cottrell) issued Nov. 11, 1980. In this patent, a stick is swung from a lateral position to a vertical position, and the stick is held by a pedestal in the vertical position as a food product is impressed on the stick.
There is a present need in the candy floss machine field for a stick delivery mechanism which automatically delivers a stick from a storage facility to a feed position from which the stick can be advanced to a device which rotates the stick about its own axis as candy floss is collected on the stick.
An advantage of the stick delivery mechanism of the present invention is that sticks are delivered automatically one at a time to a feed position from which they can be advanced to a device for spinning the stick about its own axis as floss is collected on the stick.
Another advantage of the invention is that the mechanism for delivering the stick is extremely reliable and of relatively simple construction.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.